Fender and Gibson Project - Please Help!

For my dissertation module at uni, I have chosen to investigate which of the two biggest guitar manufacturers, Fender and Gibson, is preferred and why. To get closer to the answer, Im asking fellow guitarists about their opinion on the matter, rival brands, model copies, prices, etc by filling in this questionnaire.

Could you please answer....

Preferred music genre(s)?

Favourite artist / band?

Do you play a guitar?

Do you own an electric guitar - and which?

Which model guitar(s) do you own and what attracted you to them?

What model is your perfect guitar? - Why?

How much of an influence does your taste in music have on guitar choice?

Have artists/bands inspired you to choose a certain guitar model? - Who? - Which model?

What, if any, is your view of low budget imitations of Fender and Gibson Guitars?

How much would the following influence you in your choice of guitar? Price, Sound, Manufacturer, Appearance, Celebrity and Endorsement
Would you ever consider purchasing an imitation Fender or Gibson?

Which other guitar manufacturer(s) do you think are in direct competition with Fender and Gibson?

What is the most commonly thought of guitar from EACH company?
(One for Fender and one for Gibson)

Why do you think that the guitar you have chosen above is so well-known?

Thank you very much for your time and help!

Ste

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Which model guitar(s) do you own and what attracted you to them? Lots of models, SG, Les Paul, Hummingbird, Country and Western, Strats, Telecasters and a few more.
I love the sound of Gibsons, but i also like the playability of some Fenders, to me Fenders sound good at low volume at home, but don't sound so good live or at volume with the band. (just my opinion)
But i love how they play

What model is your perfect guitar? - Why? Gibson SG Standard with a Maestro long vibrola trem unit, it plays fantastic live, and the switch between pickups always gives a lift.

How much of an influence does your taste in music have on guitar choice?
Everything, everything i own apart from my Ibanez was chosen because of a type of sound i was trying to achieve.

Have artists/bands inspired you to choose a certain guitar model? - Who? - Which model? Yes, a lot of guitars i buy cos i like the look of them, they have an iconic value, i once bought a Rickenbacker 360 V64 cos George Harrison had one (he had the 12 string version)

What, if any, is your view of low budget imitations of Fender and Gibson Guitars?

How much would the following influence you in your choice of guitar? Price, Sound, Manufacturer, Appearance, Celebrity and Endorsement
Would you ever consider purchasing an imitation Fender or Gibson?

Which other guitar manufacturer(s) do you think are in direct competition with Fender and Gibson?

What is the most commonly thought of guitar from EACH company?
(One for Fender and one for Gibson)

Why do you think that the guitar you have chosen above is so well-known?

Which model guitar(s) do you own and what attracted you to them? Epiphone SG, it was free.

What model is your perfect guitar? - Why? Gibson Les Paul DC Pro - 3-way is in a better position than the SG, as much guitar as I need.

How much of an influence does your taste in music have on guitar choice? Not so much my taste in music, I just agree with Slash, Joe Perry, etc that Les Pauls kick ass.

Have artists/bands inspired you to choose a certain guitar model? - Who? - Which model? No, I love Hendrix but Strats suck and even when he played a Gibson he chose a Flying-V, which also suck.

What, if any, is your view of low budget imitations of Fender and Gibson Guitars? How low budget? Epis and Squires seem ok in my experience.

How much would the following influence you in your choice of guitar? Price, Sound, Manufacturer, Appearance, Celebrity and Endorsement? Price 25%, Sound 60%, Manufacturer 10%, Appearance 5%, Celebrity and Endorsement FA%

Would you ever consider purchasing an imitation Fender or Gibson? Yes

Which other guitar manufacturer(s) do you think are in direct competition with Fender and Gibson? Prob Ibanez etc

What is the most commonly thought of guitar from EACH company
(One for Fender and one for Gibson)? Strat, LP.

Why do you think that the guitar you have chosen above is so well-known? Dirty rock

Preferred music genre(s)?
Guitar-based, "indie" or "alternative" as th Americans would put it, rock
Favourite artist / band?
Ah, that's tricky. Long-term; King Crimson but I like newbies such as Interpol, Strokes.
Do you play a guitar?
Mostly a bass player. I do some uninspiring rhythm guitar at times.
Do you own an electric guitar - and which?
Lots of basses but only one guitar. A Sunn Mustang - Fender's cheap Strat copy made in India before they came up with the Squier.
Which model guitar(s) do you own and what attracted you to them?
See above. As a lefty (and in the days when they were rare and pricey) I play flipped-over righties. This gave me a pathological dislike of Teles and Les Pauls. Weird answer, I accept.
What model is your perfect guitar? - Why?
I find guitars derivative, conservative and samey. A big up to the Parker Fly for trying to move things on. The Rickenbacker 360 does look great, though.
How much of an influence does your taste in music have on guitar choice?
Some, for bass. The sound I like always turns out to be either a Musicman Stingray, Rickenbacker 4001 or a 70s Fender Jazz.
Have artists/bands inspired you to choose a certain guitar model? - Who? - Which model?
See above.
What, if any, is your view of low budget imitations of Fender and Gibson Guitars?
Massively improved over the offerings of 20 years ago. Brands like Stagg, SX and others are quite playable. Locally sourced woods are not as pleasant and the electronics are definitely inferior.
How much would the following influence you in your choice of guitar? Price, Sound, Manufacturer, Appearance, Celebrity and Endorsement
I'd put them almost in that order, except appearance would possibly go ahead of manufacturer. Celebrity users and endorsements count for little to me.
Would you ever consider purchasing an imitation Fender or Gibson?
Yep. Besides, they've got into the act of imitating themselves anyway.
Which other guitar manufacturer(s) do you think are in direct competition with Fender and Gibson?
For lead guitars, I suppose PRS are direct competitors for Gibson. Fender's simpler bolt-neck manufacture has spawned a world of competition; both cheaper and more expensive.
What is the most commonly thought of guitar from EACH company?
(One for Fender and one for Gibson)
Has to be Stratocaster and Les Paul.
Why do you think that the guitar you have chosen above is so well-known?
The sheer number of players and songs that have had a Strat or LP outweighs all others. People buy one to recreate that sound (sometimes, clever types realize that the amp and speakers are also an important part).